SECUNDA – A well-known Mpumalanga farmer was sentenced in the Secunda Regional Court to effectively 15 years in prison on Friday 16 October.
The 66-year-old accused confessed to sexually abusing his granddaughter over two years. She was between the ages of four and six years during this time.
He pleaded guilty and his own experts certified him as a paedophile.
The grandfather continuously cried during his trial. His wife (the little girl’s grandmother) also stood by him and supported him at his court appearances. He took the stand in June to testify that he was remorseful about his action.
“I am the one who messed up her life. I want to do everything in my ability to help her.
“I realise that the pain I am going through had been much worse for my granddaughter,” he said at the time.
“I accept whatever punishment this court gives because there is no excuse for what I did.”
“There is stuff I do not want to remember, because it was too traumatic,” he said.
He hoped that his problem is treatable.
Capt Karen Botha, a social worker attached to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offenses (FCS) unit in Germiston, testified in June about her victim assessment report.
“The child referred to her grandfather as that dumb, stupid man, because he did not deserve to be called Oupa.
“She was extremely emotional when talking, withdrawn, and full of shame and guilt and showed signs of fear and anxiety. She was initially scared that her granddad would see her talking to the police.”
Capt Botha told the court that the little girl has nightmares about the storeroom where most of the crimes happened.
“He threatened to release snakes in the storeroom if she did not keep quiet.”
Capt Botha said the girl will need ongoing therapy.
The child’s father and the accused’s son, said his father goes on as if nothing had happened.
Capt Botha quoted the following words from the child’s father: “My father never said sorry to his family. He never apologised for raping my child. My father has no remorse, only arrogance.”
The social worker also said that the victim hoped her grandfather will suffer the same fate as her while he is in prison.
“She (the child) wants his fingers to be cut off. She never again wants to see her grandfather.”
He was also found unfit to possess a firearm, his name will be entered into the national sex offenders register and he may never work in an environment again where there are any children.
Ms Phumzile Nkosi was the prosecutor.
The grandfather’s legal team indicated that they wanted to appeal the sentence.
The old man is also set to soon appear in the Delmas Regional Court for the sexual abuse of two other girls, one of whom claimed he had abused and raped her for 10 years. She is now in her 20’s.
